Gosnold, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Gosnold is a town
that encompasses the Elizabeth Islands
in Dukes County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 75, making it the least populous town in Massachusetts. Most of the residents live in the village of Cuttyhunk
, while most of the land in the town is owned by the Forbes family
.
were the Wampanoag Native Americans
. The tribe did not settle permanently on the Elizabeth Islands, but used them in summer for hunting
, fishing
, and gardening
. Occasionally, arrowhead
s or stone tool
s are unsurfaced on the islands. The islands' names come from the Wampanoag language
.
The Elizabeth Islands, including Cuttyhunk, were discovered by Europeans in 1602 by Bartholomew Gosnold
. He and his crew attempted to establish a trading post
on Cuttyhunk so that they could trade with the natives, the first attempt by Europe
ans to do so. The trading post was abandoned after only a few weeks, and Gosnold decided to return home. Upon his return to England
, the British Crown
claimed jurisdiction of the island chain.
Gosnold was first settled in 1641, the year of purchase of the islands by Thomas Mayhew, Sr. The islands were claimed by the Wampanoag until 1658, when the Wampanoag sachem
transferred the deed of ownership
to Mayhew. Constituting Dukes County
, New York
since 1683, the Elizabeth Islands, Martha's Vineyard
, and Nantucket, were transferred to the newly created Province of Massachusetts Bay
in 1691. Gosnold was officially incorporated in 1864, having formerly belonged to the town of Chilmark
.
, the town has a total area of 140.2 square miles (363.1 km²), of which, 13.3 square miles (34.4 km²) of it (9.52%) is land and 126.8 square miles (328.4 km²) of it (90.48%) is water. Gosnold ranks 272nd out of the 351 communities in the Commonwealth in terms of land area; however, it has the longest distance between points within municipal limits of any town in the Commonwealth. It consists of the Elizabeth Islands, including Nonamesset Island
, Uncatena Island
, Naushon Island
, Pasque Island
, Nashawena Island
, Penikese Island
, Cuttyhunk Island and several smaller islands. The string of islands extend roughly southwest of the southwestern tip of Falmouth
, with the closest island, Nonamesset, being less than a third of a mile away at its closest point. More than half the population lives on Cuttyhunk, with the majority of the rest living on Naushon.
of 2000, there were 86 people, 46 households, and 21 families residing in the town. The population density
was 6.4 people per square mile (2.5/km²). There were 215 housing units at an average density of 16.1 per square mile (6.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.35% White, with no African American
s, Native Americans
, Asia
ns, or Pacific Islanders, and 4.65% from two or more races. None of the population is Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 46 households out of which 17.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.8% were married couples
living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.3% were non-families. 45.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.87 and the average family size was 2.71.
In the town the population was spread out with 17.4% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 31.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 138.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 144.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $22,344, and the median income for a family was $27,500. Males had a median income of $21,875 versus $30,625 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $15,265. There were 25.0% of families and 23.5% of the population living below the poverty line, including 40.0% of under eighteens and 22.2% of those over 64.
Despite its being the least populous community in the Commonwealth, Gosnold is not the least densely populated, with that title belonging to Mount Washington
, at the southwestern corner of western Massachusetts.
Gosnold was first in a 2008 ranking of all Massachusetts communities in terms of total value of real estate per resident.
, and is currently represented by Democrat Bill Keating
. Massachusetts is currently represented in the United States Senate
by senior Senator, (Democrat) John Kerry
and junior senator Republican Scott Brown
.
On the state level, Gosnold is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
as a part of the Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket district, which includes all of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, as well as a portion of Falmouth
. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate
as a portion of the Cape and Islands district, which includes all of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and most of Barnstable County
(with the exception of Bourne
, Sandwich
, Falmouth
and a portion of Barnstable
). All of Dukes County is patrolled by the Fifth (Oak Bluffs) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police
.
Gosnold is governed on the local level by the open town meeting
form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen
. Due to its geographic isolation and small population, the town has a waiver from the Commonwealth from anti-nepotism
laws. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2bUSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mvkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5791,310318&dq=gosnold+nepotism&hl=en
is also home to The Penikese School, a private school for troubled boys.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
that encompasses the Elizabeth Islands
Elizabeth Islands
The Elizabeth Islands are a chain of small islands extending southwest from the southern coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts in the United States. They are located at the outer edge of Buzzards Bay, north of Martha's Vineyard from which they are separated by Vineyard Sound, and constitute the town of...
in Dukes County
Dukes County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 14,987 people, 6,421 households, and 3,788 families residing in the county. The population density was 144 people per square mile . There were 14,836 housing units at an average density of 143 per square mile...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 75, making it the least populous town in Massachusetts. Most of the residents live in the village of Cuttyhunk
Cuttyhunk
Cuttyhunk Island is the outermost of the Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts. It was the first site of English settlement in New England. It is located between Buzzards Bay to the north and Vineyard Sound to the south...
, while most of the land in the town is owned by the Forbes family
Forbes family
The Forbes family is a wealthy extended American family originating in Boston. The family's fortune originates from trading between North America and China in the 19th century plus other investments in the same period. The name descends from Scottish immigrants, and can be traced back to Sir John...
.
History
The earliest settlers of the Elizabeth IslandsElizabeth Islands
The Elizabeth Islands are a chain of small islands extending southwest from the southern coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts in the United States. They are located at the outer edge of Buzzards Bay, north of Martha's Vineyard from which they are separated by Vineyard Sound, and constitute the town of...
were the Wampanoag Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
. The tribe did not settle permanently on the Elizabeth Islands, but used them in summer for hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, and gardening
Gardening
Gardening is the practice of growing and cultivating plants. Ornamental plants are normally grown for their flowers, foliage, or overall appearance; useful plants are grown for consumption , for their dyes, or for medicinal or cosmetic use...
. Occasionally, arrowhead
Arrowhead
An arrowhead is a tip, usually sharpened, added to an arrow to make it more deadly or to fulfill some special purpose. Historically arrowheads were made of stone and of organic materials; as human civilization progressed other materials were used...
s or stone tool
Stone tool
A stone tool is, in the most general sense, any tool made either partially or entirely out of stone. Although stone tool-dependent societies and cultures still exist today, most stone tools are associated with prehistoric, particularly Stone Age cultures that have become extinct...
s are unsurfaced on the islands. The islands' names come from the Wampanoag language
Massachusett language
The Massachusett language was a Native American language, a member of the Algonquian language family. It is also known as Wôpanâak , Natick, and Pokanoket....
.
The Elizabeth Islands, including Cuttyhunk, were discovered by Europeans in 1602 by Bartholomew Gosnold
Bartholomew Gosnold
Bartholomew Gosnold was an English lawyer, explorer, and privateer, instrumental in founding the Virginia Company of London, and Jamestown, Virginia, United States...
. He and his crew attempted to establish a trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
on Cuttyhunk so that they could trade with the natives, the first attempt by Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
ans to do so. The trading post was abandoned after only a few weeks, and Gosnold decided to return home. Upon his return to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the British Crown
Monarchy of the United Kingdom
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
claimed jurisdiction of the island chain.
Gosnold was first settled in 1641, the year of purchase of the islands by Thomas Mayhew, Sr. The islands were claimed by the Wampanoag until 1658, when the Wampanoag sachem
Sachem
A sachem[p] or sagamore is a paramount chief among the Algonquians or other northeast American tribes. The two words are anglicizations of cognate terms from different Eastern Algonquian languages...
transferred the deed of ownership
Deed
A deed is any legal instrument in writing which passes, or affirms or confirms something which passes, an interest, right, or property and that is signed, attested, delivered, and in some jurisdictions sealed...
to Mayhew. Constituting Dukes County
Dukes County, New York
Dukes County, New York was a county of the New York from 1683 to 1691. It was formed on November 1, 1683, at the same time as Kings County, Queens County, and Duchess County. It consisted of the Elizabeth Islands, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket Island, all beyond the eastern end of Long Island...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
since 1683, the Elizabeth Islands, Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard is an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, known for being an affluent summer colony....
, and Nantucket, were transferred to the newly created Province of Massachusetts Bay
Province of Massachusetts Bay
The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a crown colony in North America. It was chartered on October 7, 1691 by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of England and Scotland...
in 1691. Gosnold was officially incorporated in 1864, having formerly belonged to the town of Chilmark
Chilmark, Massachusetts
Chilmark is a town located on Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 843 at the 2000 census. The fishing village of Menemsha is located on the northern end of town along its border with the neighboring town of Aquinnah...
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 140.2 square miles (363.1 km²), of which, 13.3 square miles (34.4 km²) of it (9.52%) is land and 126.8 square miles (328.4 km²) of it (90.48%) is water. Gosnold ranks 272nd out of the 351 communities in the Commonwealth in terms of land area; however, it has the longest distance between points within municipal limits of any town in the Commonwealth. It consists of the Elizabeth Islands, including Nonamesset Island
Nonamesset Island
Nonamesset Island is the most easterly of the Elizabeth Islands of Dukes County, Massachusetts, USA. The island has a land area of 1.398 km² and was uninhabited as of the 2000 census. The island is part of the town of Gosnold, Massachusetts....
, Uncatena Island
Uncatena Island
Uncatena Island is one of the Elizabeth Islands of Dukes County, Massachusetts, USA. It is the most northerly of the Elizabeth Islands and lies just northeast of the largest island, Naushon Island. Uncatena has a land area of 0.492 km² , and was uninhabited as of the 2000 census....
, Naushon Island
Naushon Island
Naushon Island, part of the Elizabeth Islands, is seven miles long, just off Cape Cod, and four statute miles NW of Martha's Vineyard. The island is owned by the Forbes family and is included in the town of Gosnold, Massachusetts...
, Pasque Island
Pasque Island
Pasque Island is one of the Elizabeth Islands of Dukes County, Massachusetts, USA. It lies between Nashawena Island to the west and Naushon Island to the east. The island has a land area of 3.45 km² and had a population of 2 persons as of the 2000 census. The island is part of the town of...
, Nashawena Island
Nashawena Island
Nashawena Island is the second largest of the Elizabeth Islands of Dukes County, Massachusetts, USA. It lies between Cuttyhunk Island to the west and Pasque Island to the east. The island has a land area of 7.076 km² and an official permanent population of 2 persons as of the 2000 census. ...
, Penikese Island
Penikese Island
Penikese Island is a island off the coast of Massachusetts, United States, in Buzzards Bay. It is one of the Elizabeth Islands, which make up the town of Gosnold, Massachusetts...
, Cuttyhunk Island and several smaller islands. The string of islands extend roughly southwest of the southwestern tip of Falmouth
Falmouth, Massachusetts
Falmouth is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States; Barnstable County is coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 31,531 at the 2010 census....
, with the closest island, Nonamesset, being less than a third of a mile away at its closest point. More than half the population lives on Cuttyhunk, with the majority of the rest living on Naushon.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 86 people, 46 households, and 21 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 6.4 people per square mile (2.5/km²). There were 215 housing units at an average density of 16.1 per square mile (6.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.35% White, with no African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s, Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
ns, or Pacific Islanders, and 4.65% from two or more races. None of the population is Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 46 households out of which 17.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.3% were non-families. 45.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.87 and the average family size was 2.71.
In the town the population was spread out with 17.4% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 31.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 138.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 144.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $22,344, and the median income for a family was $27,500. Males had a median income of $21,875 versus $30,625 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $15,265. There were 25.0% of families and 23.5% of the population living below the poverty line, including 40.0% of under eighteens and 22.2% of those over 64.
Despite its being the least populous community in the Commonwealth, Gosnold is not the least densely populated, with that title belonging to Mount Washington
Mount Washington, Massachusetts
Mount Washington is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 130 at the 2000 census, making it the smallest town in Berkshire County and, after Gosnold and Monroe, the third smallest in...
, at the southwestern corner of western Massachusetts.
Gosnold was first in a 2008 ranking of all Massachusetts communities in terms of total value of real estate per resident.
Government
On the national level, Gosnold is a part of Massachusetts's 10th congressional districtMassachusetts's 10th congressional district
Massachusetts's 10th congressional district is a political constituency that includes parts of the South Shore of Massachusetts, and all of Cape Cod and the islands. With a population of 635,901 and a land area of , it is the most populous of Massachusetts's ten congressional districts and the...
, and is currently represented by Democrat Bill Keating
William R. Keating
William Richard "Bill" Keating is the U.S. Representative for . From 1999 to 2011 he was District Attorney of Norfolk County. He is a member of the Democratic Party and a former Massachusetts state representative and state senator....
. Massachusetts is currently represented in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
by senior Senator, (Democrat) John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
and junior senator Republican Scott Brown
Scott Brown
Scott Brown is a United States senator.Scott Brown may also refer to:-Sportsmen:*Scott Brown , American college football coach of Kentucky State...
.
On the state level, Gosnold is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
as a part of the Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket district, which includes all of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, as well as a portion of Falmouth
Falmouth, Massachusetts
Falmouth is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States; Barnstable County is coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 31,531 at the 2010 census....
. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate
Massachusetts Senate
The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the state...
as a portion of the Cape and Islands district, which includes all of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and most of Barnstable County
Barnstable County, Massachusetts
Barnstable County is a county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, consisting of Cape Cod and associated islands. As of the 2010 census, the population was 216,902...
(with the exception of Bourne
Bourne, Massachusetts
Bourne is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 18,721 at the 2000 census.For geographic and demographic information on specific parts of the town of Bourne, please see the articles on Bourne , Buzzards Bay, Monument Beach, Pocasset, Sagamore, and Sagamore...
, Sandwich
Sandwich, Massachusetts
Sandwich is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 20,675 at the 2010 census. The Town Hall is located right next to the Dexter Grist Mill, in the historic district of town....
, Falmouth
Falmouth, Massachusetts
Falmouth is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States; Barnstable County is coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 31,531 at the 2010 census....
and a portion of Barnstable
Barnstable, Massachusetts
Barnstable is a city, referred to as the Town of Barnstable, in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the county seat of Barnstable County. Barnstable is the largest community, both in land area and population, on Cape Cod. The town contains seven villages within its boundaries...
). All of Dukes County is patrolled by the Fifth (Oak Bluffs) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police
Massachusetts State Police
The Massachusetts State Police is an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Executive Office of Public Safety and Security responsible for criminal law enforcement and traffic vehicle regulation across the state...
.
Gosnold is governed on the local level by the open town meeting
Open town meeting
An open town meeting is a form of town meeting in which all registered voters of a town may vote . This form of government is typical of smaller municipalities in the New England region of the United States....
form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen
Board of selectmen
The board of selectmen is commonly the executive arm of the government of New England towns in the United States. The board typically consists of three or five members, with or without staggered terms.-History:...
. Due to its geographic isolation and small population, the town has a waiver from the Commonwealth from anti-nepotism
Nepotism
Nepotism is favoritism granted to relatives regardless of merit. The word nepotism is from the Latin word nepos, nepotis , from which modern Romanian nepot and Italian nipote, "nephew" or "grandchild" are also descended....
laws. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2bUSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mvkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5791,310318&dq=gosnold+nepotism&hl=en
Education
The town currently has four students (as of the 2009-10 school year) attending school in Cuttyhunk, with others attending schools on the mainland. Penikese IslandPenikese Island
Penikese Island is a island off the coast of Massachusetts, United States, in Buzzards Bay. It is one of the Elizabeth Islands, which make up the town of Gosnold, Massachusetts...
is also home to The Penikese School, a private school for troubled boys.
External links
- Images of Cuttyhunk Island
- Images of Hadley's Harbor
- The Cuttyhunk Historical Society; The Museum of the Elizabeth Islands
Further reading
- The Cuttyhunk Historical Society. (2002). Images of America: Cuttyhunk and the Elizabeth Islands. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0-7385-0980-9.